One of the device's key features (besides the 3D
display) is a trio of cameras. All three cameras are a
relatively low resolution (0.3 MP, 640x480 pixel VGA), but the two
rear ones will be capable of recording crude 3D video, an impressive
feat for a handheld. Photos can also be exported as QR
Tags (barcodes) to allow for easy sharing.

Now
Nintendo has spilled some more details about how the single
front-facing camera will be use. In a
video Nintendo shows a person snapping a shot of their
face. The 3DS's software then automatically converts the
picture to a Mii icon for use with Nintendo's multiplayer games.

And
Nintendo has at last confirmed an official ship date for Japan --
February 26. The new handheld will be priced at ¥25,000 (around
$298 USD) and will come in aqua blue or cosmo black. The
handheld will make landfall in the States and Europe in March, though
Nintendo still hasn't announced an initial date for that launch
yet.

Video game site IGNclaimed last
week that the new Nintendo 3DS will pack two 266MHz ARM11 CPUs, a
133MHz GPU, 4MB dedicated VRAM, 64MB RAM, and 1.5GB flash
storage.

Nintendo also announced that through a partnership
with Fuji TV it will offer streamed 3D video to the device. And
it also announced that it will have an app store -- similar to
Apple's for the iPhone -- which will vend out old Game Boy and Game
Boy Advance titles.

Does that mean that the Nintendo 3DS will
have a 3G modem? Nintendo is keeping tight lipped on the
topic. It has already announced that it will support Wi-Fi, but
has remained silent on the topic of a broadband modem, which many
developers are demanding.

Some other interesting things worth
noting is that the video showed the 3DS appearing to be using
background multitasking -- or at least saved states. The video
also showed a new home button, that can be used to access web
browsing and more while in game. The video also showed an
e-book app, a note taking app, and augmented reality games.

It
will be some time before Nintendo spills all its secrets of the
upcoming device, and longer still before it launches. In the
meantime Nintendo is offering a special edition Super Mario DSi XL
(identical to current
hardware), launching for ¥18,000 in Japan on October 28th.
Nintendo is also working on a new Wii Remote Plus.